Customer Ratings & Reviews

I love the Atari VCS which to me is a lot like a Nintendo Switch but for Atari fanatics. I love the design and controllers which remind me of 1977 all over again. Of course it can be used as a PC so if you have a SSD drive with Windows you can plug it in and use it for that purpose as well (emulators, etc). Out of the box you aren’t getting a lot of power to do a whole lot of heavy PC gaming but the memory and storage can be upgraded for the techy types. But mainly I bought it to enjoy as a game system, as pricy as it seems…the only downside is that it’s a total streaming machine so if your Wi-Fi croaks then you won’t be playing Atari today. It’s not going to outperform a Switch, PS4 or Xbox but I don’t think it was made to compete with them and if it was, it wouldn’t. But it does outperform at a nostalgia level. I would have to say this system is for Atari nuts only, anyone else who didn’t enjoy these classic systems in their prime may be disappointed

Excellent versatile system. VCS mode is light on content for the moment, but there are some quality gems available with more on the way. Easily install Linux, Windows, etc. to expand your options dramatically. Right now I have Ubuntu Linux installed running my Steam games, runs great! Don't go into it expecting xbox/ps quality, but for what it is, it's a cool little system.

Very fun little console/mini pc! The vcs has been great for old and new atari games. It comes w the atari vault vol.1 and ant stream arcade(a retro game streaming service). Both are very fun and have atari arcade and console classics. Ive included a few photos here. This consiel got me into the Atari homebrew and indie games! Theres a good amount on here and the devs chat frequently w the atari vcs community about what theyre working on and for feedback. Also installed windows and running my steam and gog games on here. Good amount of hardware mods that can be done as well. But none are required as this bundle comes pretty good as is. The controllers are great. The modern controller feels like a switch power A wireless controller. And the joystick is really fun to use and has rumble. Its openned up a new side of gaming for me! With that said I hope Atari continues to make improvements to the UI and OS. Plus keep bringing more Atari classics to the system.

I had an Atari growing up and I so wanted to like this, I did like the fact that I could have this as a multi boot unit and will use it as a PC. I'm going to continue to mess around with this and will update as it progresses. The games imho simply do NOT play the way that they used to, I'm using the joy stick as I do on my 2600. I cannot put my finger on it. I do think the design of the device is great and it does appear to be a quality piece of hardware. I hope that this does not turn into PC for the TV, but that is what it is starting to feel like. With that said - it is NOT a bad piece of hardware and should perform well once I upgrade storage and ram. Updates - it did take quite a bit of time for all of the updates to be applied to the system. I do NOT see this as a negative as other people do- thank goodness you can update and resolve issues. Do be prepaired for updates and this will take time, but it is worth it. This does display well on 75" TV in all resolutions - no lag or jitter - -granted I'm playing games from the 1980s so i do not expect there to be

Looks great! Performs OK. It’s more for the tinkering type as you can update the internals like memory and storage. Recharged games are neat. I did get a price match from Micro Center so I only paid $250.

Nice piece of kit; Nostalgia at its finest. The real wood is sweet touch. The attention to detail is beyond belief and the classic games have never played better, love that they are in 4K and the added rumble support for centipede and others has brought a tear to my eye. Thanks Atari

I love this Atari VCS it's more than I expected it to be got Windows 11 on it running all kinds of games and love the games at the Atari store to what a great lil system

Honestly I didn't expect much from this product. From the first day it was announced almost every website and podcast I regularly follow has universally panned it as over-priced and doomed to failure, and on those points, they may be right. But I purchased it anyway because of the nostalgia factor. I expected it would be buggy, slow, and pretty useless...but it isn't. It's not an Xbox series x or a ps5, it might not even be an Xbox one or a ps4, but it's not a Raspberry pi either. This thing is really slick and polished. I've only been using it for two days but everything I've tried on it has worked really well. Downloads are really fast. I purchased pixel cup soccer, which is about a 2 gig download and it finished in seconds. For me, that's faster than Steam and the PlayStation store. I launched into the YouTube app and tried to navigate with the Classic controller but it didn't seem to work with that controller (i didn't try the modern controller), so I launched the companion app on my smartphone. The companion app allows you to control your vcs through your phone and has a slick interface that emulates a mouse and or keyboard. Controlling YouTube with this app was intuitive and snappy. I played a couple music videos and found the picture quality to be excellent. I found the YouTube app plus the companion app to be an excellent combination and far superior to using a controller for input. This same companion app can be used to control other apps as well, such as Chrome and Netflix etc... The Atari is good for... Nostalgia... Streaming content... Airconsole.com and antstream.com playing Atari 2600 games playing old Atari arcade games Emulation A second PC in another room (ability to install other OSes) The Atari is not good for... running modern games competing with modern consoles not a lot of games available on the store just yet ABOUT THE PRICE... Is $400 too much? Yes AND No. Everyone knows that Microsoft and Sony subsidies their consoles because they know they can make up the loss in software and subscriptions down the line. They can afford it. I remember reading that the PS3 was losing $300 for every console they sold at launch. Atari can't compete with that. They have to sell it for a reasonable price, or lose their shirts. Unfortunately, that probably means they are pricing themselves right out of the market...but it's a catch 22, and I just don't see what else they can do about it. If you love Atari...buy this product. if you want a decent mini PC for the price...buy it. if you want to tinker with a neat little machine with a lot of heart, and very little hope...buy it. if you want to play anything modern...don't

I wanted something different than my PC and other game consoles. Atari has definitely delivered a unique experience. It's part console and part PC so basically a hybrid. The Atari VCS vibe is refreshing because of the mix of retro and modern esthetics. I actually took this thing apart and upgraded the RAM and installed an SSD. I've never done that before but I have now thanks to Atari. Sure it was an added expense but that moment was priceless. I even went further venturing into the BIOS and changing some settings for more enhancement. The Atari custom Antstream along with a one year subscription was a nice surprise. There's also other exclusive content that's included and in the shop for purchase. Is the VCS genius or madness, maybe it's both. There's a mystery here and I love it!

Absolutely wonderful! Ok, so you saw the negative reviews? They're wrong. Not their experience, or opinion there of, but their reasons for buying it. The wrong reason to buy it: Atari games for $399, original internal OS The best reasons to buy it: emulators! Beautiful console in your living room, a machine that is as gorgeous as it is a functional - look at PCs, tell me which TINY laptop currently at retail gets you a 2gb graphics card on board and can be upgraded to 32gb of ram? If you guessed "none" - you are right. You buy this for the beauty of this machine and to have a compact PC in your living room - not fast enough? Upgrade the RAM. It can run Steam games at 1080 on medium or low settings, which means you should be able to play Doom or Fallout right on your TV, AND switch right over to video editing/photo editing and work related tasks with a gorgeous box sitting in your Ikea drawer. Would I pay $399 for access to original Atari games? No, but I would pay $399 for a miniPC with a built in low power graphics card that lets me video edit and play games all at once from the comfort of my couch

Amazing as a mini PC, beyond being a game console. However I would caution anyone wanting to upgrade this along with changing BIOS settings, as there is no longer a password available to modify settings in the Boot menu for running the CPU above the base clock settings, and I have as of yet not been able to hard reset the BIOS to get rid of this password. You can upgrade the RAM up to 32GB from the stock 8, but you can no longer dedicate any extra RAM to the GPU to go beyond the 2GB base. My system is able to grab from "Shared GPU memory" but it tends to take the entire 2 from the GPU before it attempts to use the shared memory, which can mean your system is often running a bit hot. when I play games on Steam the temp reads at above 90 °C and went up to 99 at some points. You might want to add some thermal paste and a fan upgrade to increase airflow and protect it from overheats. If you want to use this primarily as a PC I would recommend getting a M.2 SSD to add to the available slot inside the machine, install the OS separately using WinToUsb or similar programs from another computer, as you can not install natively from booting. Running your OS thru an external drive plugged in can lead to slowdowns. TL; DR: A very versatile but ultimately somewhat limited mini PC, but hey... it comes with a classic style joystick for Atari games! B)

This is a solid all in one media device. It comes with classic Atari games, the controllers are pretty solid and can run a bunch of streaming services. You can install windows on it via a flash drive, external SSD, or if you’re a more experienced user you can put an M.2 SATA inside. I put in a 1tb M.2 SATA, installed windows. It runs Windows very well even with the stock RAM (which is also uogradeable). This can easily be used to surf the web and for office apps etc. It’s not large (size of a small console) and looks nice.

This console is more of a mini PC then anything. A great piece of nostalgia if you want to relive the Atari glory days, or just run it in PC mode and play around. It was a deal of the day for $200. Thats about the right price point imo.

I purchased this mostly for nostalgia reasons. The games and controllers work really well. I have also used this device for a Zoom call by adding a camera and keyboard to it and it performed wonderfully. I hope space invaders and some Activision games will be available for this console in the near future. I hope the best for the future of this company.

This is a nice system to honor the nostalgia of the vintage Atari systems as well as being able to enjoy some recharged versions of some of the old games. I was unable to get a solid version of Linux running from a flash drive as it advertises as an option for ‘PC Mode’ which was disappointing. The BIOS has been locked down to prevent being able to run any emulated interfaces which I can understand from prevention of warranty claims. I also wished it had some additional newer content. I expect there will be more games coming in the future. I do not recommend a child installing additional SSD memory as you need to access delicate internal parts without damaging anything to do so.

Buggy software old hardware and monthly services. It has issues and new mini Ataris seem better developed.

Out of the box, it appears to be a surprisingly well built and gorgeous looking machine which is pretty easy to set up. After powering it up for the first time, there are a handful of firmware / BIOS updates that require a few restarts, but all told takes about 20 minutes to complete. You then need to create a free profile and Atari account and you're on your way. The included Atari Vault and Antstream Arcade (30 day) trial allow you to hop right into the retro action with zero delay. Atari Vault contains a plethora of Atari 2600 and Atari arcade games; it is worth noting that no third party software is available, so those who are fans of Pitfall (Activision) or Space Invaders (Taito) may be disappointed, but most of the included games are verified classics. The bundle comes with two controllers are also very well built, beautifully designed, and very responsive. Playing 2600 games as intended with the classic joystick controller is a real treat. The modern controller feels almost identical to an Xbox controller except for the rounded D-pad. There a handful of "apps" such as Netflix and Disney+, which are in reality Chrome weblinks, but they seem to work sufficiently enough. I have no intention of using this as a media device as I have a Roku, but its a nice option for those who want it. It also features a PC Mode which allows you to install Windows or Linux, but I have no intention of using this for that purpose. Still, the option is there for tinkerers. The Atari store has a very modest selection of indie titles priced from $4.99 to upwards of $24.99. As of this review, I believe there are less than 30 titles, but several of them have received good reviews. My only real complaint is that the edges of the screen are slightly cropped off and there is no way to resize the screen. Hopefully this can be fixed with a future update. The other complaint is the price; beyond nostalgia nerds like myself, this will be a major impediment to anyone considering the system. There is likely no way the VCS will ever compete with Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo in the mainstream, but as an indie platform it would be very cool to see this thing succeed. Time will tell if it continues to receive any support or if it will wind up in the clearance bin before the new year. At any rate, I am glad to support it and the developers who are taking their time to support a new platform; and revive a once inconic brand. I wish everyone involved with this project success.

I'm very impressed with both the build quality and the content available on the Atari VCS. First, its just gorgeous. Atari's designers absolutely nailed the aesthetic. The small form factor, real wood bezel and ribbed case are stunning. But its not all style. More importantly, the VCS has a lot of flexibility. Sure, it's a relatively low powered mini-PC, but the combination of retro and new indie content from the Atari store, game streaming (Stadia, Luna, GeForce Now, Xbox Game Cloud), and its ability to run virtually any OS makes it a winner in my book. It's the Swiss army knife of gaming. Even if Atari stopped supporting it tomorrow, it would be the sexiest emulation box out there. But the thing is, the stuff Atari is coming up with is actually pretty great. I truly enjoy their new Recharged series and original games from indie devs that I would not have otherwise played. Plus the rotary on the joystick is amazing. It's easily my most played. Recommended for Atari fans, indie gamers and people who appreciate industrial design.

So first off this is a very cool looking console. A throwback with a modern touch to the Atari 2600. As a video game machine it’s pretty good. The online store is expanding but nothing compared to Sony or Microsoft. With that said, It’s no PS5 or X. I own an original 2600 along with all other Atari consoles including the Lynx so this was a no brainer. However, at $400 it’s a tough sell. For 100 more you can snag a PS5 or X. But, If you are looking for that Atari itch to play classic Atari games with a 1 button controller then look no further. It has a pc mode if you install windows so it can also be used as a mini pc with expandable storage and RAM

The Atari VCS is a modern take on the classic Atari console, with a sleek design and updated hardware that can run modern games and applications. The console comes with an Atari-style joystick and a modern controller, and it can be used to play classic Atari games as well as new games and applications. One of the standout features of the Atari VCS is its ability to run modern games, which sets it apart from other retro gaming consoles. The console is capable of running games in 4K resolution and HDR, providing a high-quality gaming experience. It also supports streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime, making it a versatile entertainment device. As for the games that have been released or produced for the Atari VCS so far, there are several classic Atari titles available, such as Asteroids, Centipede, and Missile Command. These games have been updated with modern graphics and gameplay features, while still retaining their retro charm. There are also several new games available, such as Boulder Dash Deluxe and Jetboard Joust, which provide new and exciting gaming experiences. Overall, the Atari VCS is a great console for fans of classic Atari games and modern gaming alike. Its sleek design, modern features, and ability to run both classic and modern games make it a versatile and enjoyable console. While there are currently a limited number of games available for the console, the library is growing, and it's exciting to see what new games will be released in the future.